Spending time with your family is always pleasant.
Without gadgets, family members engage in various activities and sports that strengthen their bond. Not only that, but outdoor activities can also help them be healthy and agile.
Seeing a family doing outdoor activities together is indeed incredible.
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However, last May 1, two parents received negative comments after posting a photo of their 6-year-old son.
Aside from their post going viral, Child Protective Services visited their home after a few days.
Kami and Ben Crawford, along with their six children, ran the Flying Pig Marathon that was held in Cincinnati.
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You’d think it’s an enjoyable activity for the whole family, but the problem is, they included their youngest son, Rainer, a 6-year-old boy.
Ben Crawford wrote in a post that it took their youngest child eight hours and 35 minutes to complete the marathon and that Rainer “was struggling physically and wanted to take a break and sit every three minutes.”
The Instagram post went viral and people weren’t thrilled to see a young child doing a marathon that would even exhaust a full-grown adult.
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“He was crying and we were moving slow so I told him I’d buy him two sleeves (Pringles) if he kept moving.”
This enraged more people and most of them commented on their anger, disappointment, and concern towards the child. Imagine a 6-year-old child running a full 26.2 miles?
People accused Kami and Ben of child abuse.
Even Kara Goucher, a two-time Olympian, and long-distance runner saw the post and she did not stay silent. She was among those who felt that the act of Rainer’s parents were not acceptable.
“I don’t know who needs to hear this but a six year old cannot fathom what a marathon will do to them physically. A six year old does not understand what embracing misery is. A six year who is ‘struggling physically’ does not realize they have the right to stop and should,” Goucher posted on Twitter.
I don’t know who needs to hear this but a six year old cannot fathom what a marathon will do to them physically. A six year old does not understand what embracing misery is. A six year who is “struggling physically” does not realize they have the right to stop and should.
— Kara Goucher (@karagoucher) May 4, 2022
Many say that it was disappointing for the parents to bribe the child with chips when he clearly didn’t want to run anymore.
Some say they did it to gain more traction on their social media.
Even the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon received backlash. According to their terms and condition. Participants should be at least 18 years old and older.
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They knew a child was joining and did nothing about it, cried many of the people who commented.
GMA sought the opinion of Dr. Alok Patel, a medical correspondent.
“If a young child were to run a marathon, I’m worried about electrolyte abnormalities, nausea, vomiting, heat stroke, and all these signs and symptoms may not be that clear for a young child.”
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In response to the entire backlash, the Crawfords agreed to an interview.
Kami told GMA that they love their kids, but they also want them to have the freedom to do something that they like.
“Some of the training was like, hard, but I falled sometimes but sometimes, when I did one, it was like, normal,” Rainier told in his interview with Good Morning America.
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What do you think about the Crawfords allowing their youngest to join the marathon?
Don’t forget to share what you think and watch the entire interview below.
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